Gerashchenko: We call on Belarus - Minsk will be the next

Yesterday, November 15, the official delegation of Belarus tried to block consideration of the human rights situation in Crimea at the meeting of the specialized committee of the UN General Assembly.

KYIV (QHA) -

Post-Soviet countries that voted against the resolution on human rights in Crimea, adopted by the Third Committee of the United Nations, need to understand that Ukraine is fighting not only for its own independence, but also for their ability to develop freely, the vice-speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Irina Gerashchenko stated speaking in parliament.

“Yesterday, the UN held an extremely important vote on the resolution on Crimea. 73 countries voted for the resolution. Everyone involved in foreign policy, knows what such a vote means. After all, when Georgia started to work on a similar resolution, first, it was supported by only 15 countries,” Gerashchenko said, according to a QHA correspondent.

Vice-speaker of parliament mentioned 23 countries that voted against the resolution.

“They include those who are not interested in protecting the rights of people, as well as those that are outspoken Kremlin satellites, like Armenia, Kazakhstan and Belarus. We respect their relations with the Kremlin, but they must understand that Ukraine and the Ukrainian people are fighting not only for their own independence, but for ensuring the opportunity to develop freely for all post-Soviet countries” she said.

The MP called Belarus voting against the resolution a "stab in the back" and appealed to the authorities of the neighboring country.

“We call on Belarus. If Kiev does not protect its independence today, Minsk will be the next,” Irina Gerashchenko said.

The Vice-Speaker of the Ukrainian Parliament also stressed the importance of including the Crimean Tatar people into the Ukrainian delegation in the international spaces, so that the world could get the firsthand information about the situation in the occupied Crimea.

Earlier, QHA reported that November 15, the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Ukraine), confirming the support of Ukraine on de-occupation of the peninsula.